By Rep. Ellie Sato
ICE is still here. The violence that we have all seen on the news has arrived on our doorstep. As our state mourns the senseless murder of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old innocent man misidentified and wrongly targeted by federal ICE agents, I want the people of Gorham to know their state representatives are doing everything in our power to resist the cruelty being inflicted by the federal government.
Only July 29, two bills that aim to uphold due process and better protect the people of our state from the unchecked violence being perpetrated by the federal government went into effect.
My bill, LD 2106, provides clarity for employees at public schools, state health facilities and state libraries on what to do if, and when, they encounter ICE. It requires immigration officers to obtain a warrant signed by a judge in order to conduct enforcement at places where everyone should feel safe. The bill also directs the Attorney General to provide clear guidelines for sensitive locations like daycares and places of worship on how to exercise Fourth Amendment rights to protect our community.
I crafted this legislation to respond to the ongoing injustices committed by federal immigration authorities during ICE’s dehumanizing “Operation Catch of the Day” back in January. It purportedly targeted “the worst of the worst” but, of the hundreds detained, the vast majority were legal Maine residents with no criminal records and who posed no threat to public safety.
Stakeholders from around the state contributed to LD 2106, including some of Maine’s largest employers and our immigrant community. The protections in this bill aren’t new — they have been federal policy for years because of the overwhelming public health and safety consequences of conducting immigration enforcement without due process.
Recently, state agencies around the country, like the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, have been involved in immigration enforcement. Local authorities enforcing federal immigration law erodes public trust and makes us all less safe.
That’s why the Legislature passed LD 1971, which aims to prohibit Maine law enforcement agencies from engaging in federal immigration enforcement. This legislation will ensure local resources are spent on local priorities, protect due process and help maintain public safety by defining the boundaries between state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
These new state laws would not have prevented Johan’s killing. But they recognize our shared humanity, and they aim to protect the rights and safety of all Maine residents by helping to restrict where ICE can operate and ensuring our state law enforcement authorities aren’t compelled to conduct federal immigration enforcement. It will be in the hands of the next Legislature to build on the work that we have started to protect our immigrant neighbors. These two bills are an important beginning, but there is still much more work that needs to be done.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the legal authority to make ICE leave Maine. That power lies with Congress — and I encourage you to reach out to members of our congressional delegation to let them know that ICE is not welcome here. In Gorham, we value dignity and compassion over fear and division.
As we grapple with this heartbreaking tragedy, please know that there are resources available that offer support, including strengthenme.com. If you are in crisis and feel like you are at risk of hurting yourself, please call 988. For resources and ways to support impacted communities, you can go to the resources hub of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition: https://maineimmigrantrights.org/mirc-resource-hub/.
Remember to take care of yourself and each other in these difficult times. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if there is any support that I can provide. You can contact me by email at Ellie.Sato@legislature.maine.gov or by phone at 207-287-1430.
Rep. Ellie Sato, D-Gorham, is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.